Friday, October 9, 2009

Life of a High Miler..

Every day, we sit down and eat, putting on the great pair of shoes we found on sale at the mall. drive our car, use items in our daily life that were transported here by a driver. A driver whose life is spent running the highways. They bring us food, clothing, shelter, everything we touch at one time or another was on a transport headed for our lives. They touch every part of our lives. But yet we blame them for any trouble on the roads.

So before we go any further here are some basic common knowledge items EVERYONE should know..

The average truck weighs in about 35,000 lbs. Empty. If you include the load which can be another 110,000 lbs depending on what they are hauling and the type of equipment they are using. How long does it take to stop? How hard is it to turn a corner? back up? What about the length of time they are behind the wheel?

IT TAKES A TRANSPORT

14 times longer ... to stop a transport (longer if the load is heavy.)

75 feet ... to turn a corner ( ever wondered why a transport takes up 2 lanes when making a turn?)

Do you realize every day before they leave the home terminal a transport driver mustCheck the tractor and trailer for any defects, check all the lights, tires, brakes, joints, security of the load, and most cases the driver is responsible for any defects found enroute by mto inspectors or police. When you get in your car do you check these things?

When on the road.. Drivers must..they must log every stop, fuel, or make a change in their load, become detained at a Ministry of transportation Depot for inspection.. Do you when you get in your car for a long trip.

While on the road.they see more, yes, But they also get "bullied" in to dangerous situations like being unable to stop as quickly because you have slammed on your brakes. or cant get around a corner because your out to far?

trucks are now governed to a maximum of 105 kms/hr because of government regulations.

Truckers are usually hauling heavy and have difficulty getting up steep grades, or hills. They will slow down and try to avoid hindering traffic.

They also are more prepared for upcoming traffic stops... due to accidents, construction or road maintenance. because they are able to communicate with drivers up to 8 kms ahead via cb radio.

Do you realize that a trucker is more aware of the road conditions, traffic conditions and aware of the drivers around them because they are professional drivers and have been trained to be aware of their surroundings and equipment while on the road.

Transport drivers are Extremely regulated. the speed they drive is regulated, the amount of time driving is regulated, how much sleep they get, how often they eat.

Has it ever been noted that truck drivers put more miles on going back wards in a month then most 4 wheeled cars, trucks, suv drivers do in a year?

Every time there is an accident involving a transport. It is automatically assummed that it is the truckers fault. The car was never at fault. The trucker just wanted to run in to the car? Apparently he was bored! Hmm I say NO that isn't it.

Truckers are people, they have families at home waiting for them. Wives who pace the rooms, children who miss their Trucker parent desperately and they are doing the same.

The wife of a trucker lives in a constant state of fear. Fear of the unexpected, fear that they will get the flashing lights, and be left to raise the kids alone.Trucks face disasters daily. Disasters that can irrevocably damage themselves or the lives of others in a instance.

A wife of a driver is full of panic and fear. hearing of an accident on the highway, wondering if you will have to rush out to the hospital because your best friend, life partner has been injured. Fear that your whole life can crash down around in in a turn of the wheel. For some wives its days, some its weeks and some it is even a month or more before they see their partners. They spend a few days with their driver and he is off again, on a mission from dispatch. But we do it. We sit and wait. We watch and pray that that truck will get safely to its yard. And every day we are grateful for that one extra special moment we get with them.

Yes, truckers see many things. They see the road ahead. beautiful places they wouldn't get to travel, they get to drive through vicious storms, But they also see other things. things You wouldn't expect. They see EVERYTHING that happens in anything lower then them. being in the technological age it is much easier to share these images with friends, youtube, and facebook.

So next time you sit down for a meal, go shopping think to yourself How did this item get here?

Thank your local truckers because they make sure we have everything we need. Rain, Sleet, snow and much much more!

Blog Archive

Followers

About Me

As a Mom of 4 kids ages 13, 11, 9 and 5 I am busy. My husband is like a 5th child he is a remarkable man with comic stylin of his own, But they are my life.
I am a avid reader, I love my computer, I love exploring and find information that is totally useless and finding a use for it. I live for a good laugh.
Most reacently have decided to take a postive approach to life, Including starting My Journey! Which lead me here.